Dually adaptable drain valve with extended control rod means



March 10, 1970 SCHWARTZ DUALLY ADAPTABLE DRAIN VALVE WITH EXTENDEDCONTROL ROD MEANS Filed Aug. 28, 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvsm'on MiltonSchwartz March 10, 1970 M. SCHWARTZ 3, 9 6

DUALLY ADAPTABLE DRAIN WITH EXTENDED CONTROL ROD MEANS Filed Aug. 28,196'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvmon Milton Schwartz FIG.6.

ATTORNEY United States Patent l US. Cl. 251309 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A ball valve having alternatively functioning inlet andoutlet passages of different standard diameters and thereforeselectively connectible to the underside outlet of a sink drain inaccordance with and depending upon the diameter dimension of the drainoutlet. The valve is comprised of two body sections, one of the latterhaving an hexagonal peripheral portion integral therewith to facilitateand enable achievement of positive securement of either end passage tothe sink drain. A control rod is provided to enable movement of the ballto the fluidflow or fluid-restricting positions, said control rod beingextended to at least the vertical front wall of the sink.

This invention relates generally to sink drain control means and moreparticularly to a ball-type drain valve adapted for connection to eitherof two standard drain diameters and being controllable from a positionbeneath the sink and proximate with respect to the vertical front wallthereof.

Drain valves heretofore utilized in controlling the discharge of sinkwaste were of the liftable gate-type wherein the gate is raised topermit the discharge of fluid.

Heretofore, the discharge of sink waste has generally been accomplishedfrom within the sink, manipulation of a valve gate seated directly overthe drain pipe being required. Thus, the sink users hand had to beimmersed in the waste fluid for such manipulation, notwithstanding theattendant lack of sanitation and unpleasantness caused thereby.

The utilization of undersink waste-discharge-control devices has, in thepast, been infrequent, essentially because of inconvenience ofoperation, clogging and cleaning difiiculties. Such drain valve devices,being of the lifting and seating gate construction, depend in part upongravity for their operation and consequently require a specific verticalinlet and outlet orientation. Thus, a particular valve of this charactercould be adapted directly to a sink drain outlet of one of the two mostcommonly prevalent sizes, another valve being required for the otherprevalent size drain outlet. To enable accommodation of such drainvalves to more than a single sink drain outlet size, reduction orexpansion fittings are required, thereby greatly adding to the expenseof installing these devices.

Further, gate-valved sink drains are relatively slow with respect totheir discharge rates and accordingly require complex means for liftingor unseating the gate to a degree permitting increased and thereforeuseful flow rates.

Consonant with the foregoing, the instant invention has for an objectthe provision of a novel apparatus for facilitating the controlleddischarge of fluid wastes from a sink.

3,499,628 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 6 Another object of the presentinvention is to provide an apparatus which will permit rapid draining ofa sink and which is controllable from the underside of the sink.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of animproved drain valve, the flow rate of which can be readily regulatedand which can accommodate the flow of relatively larger solids than canbe accommodated in prior art sink-drain devices.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of anew and useful undersink drain valve having extended control rod meansand which can be installed with either of its terminal flow passagesfunctioning as the inlet or outlet passage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide simplifiedmeans for adapting a drain valve to either of two standard sink drainfittings.

A further object of this invention is to provide a drain valve comprisedof two body sections, each section having a seat portion integraltherewith, said two seat portions cooperating to provide positiveseating for ball means revolvable thereon.

A still further object of the instant invention resides in the provisionof a novel drain valve which is relatively simple of construction, e.g.,requiring no gaskets, which is strong, durable and unlikely to becomejammed or clogged thereby substantially minimizing maintenance problems.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical sink to which the presentdrain valve is applicable, the control rod means of said valve beingvisibly shown extending proximately of the vertical front wall of thesink basin;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective View of the body sectionsof the valve and the ball means thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the valvedirectly connected to the underside of the sink drain;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the valvedirectly connected, in an inverted manner, to the underside of the sinkdrain.

FIGURE 5 is a view of the invention including an extension fittingbetween the valve inlet passage and the sink drain, and illustrating theball means in closed position; and

FIGURE 6 is a view of the valve connected to the sink drain in invertedposition, an extension fitting being disposed between the valve inletpassage and the sink drain, and the ball means in closed position.

It will be understood that the foregoing general objectives and thefollowing detailed description as well,

are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the drain valve,designated generally by numeral 1, comprises first and second bodysections, said sections being also designated generally by numerals 2and 4, respectively. Said first section, it will be observed, includes ahead portion 6 which has an internally threaded first passage 8 and anexternally threaded stem portion 10, said stem portion extending axiallyand integrally of said head portion and terminating with free end 11,

3 the latter being inwardly and arcuately bevelled to function as thefirst annular seat to 'be described hereinbelow.

As will be seen second body section 4 includes conduit portion 12, theperiphery thereof or internal wall 14 of said second body section beingthreaded as shown, the threaded portion 14 extending to end 16 thereof.Disposed at and extending inwardly of the other end 18 of said secondbody section is internally threaded second passage 20, a second annularseat 22, to be further discussed hereinbelow, being located at thejuncture of said conduit portion 12 and said second passage 20.

With reference to FIGURES 3-6 of the drawings wherein the assembleddrain valve unit 1 is illustrated, said stern and conduit portions 10and 12, respectively, are threadedly connected at 24 whereby saidconduit portion extends longitudinally through said valve incommunication with first and second passages 8 and 20, said latterpassages being located at the respective ends of said valve.

Said aforementioned first and second annular seats 11 and 22,respectively, are as shown, provided integrally of said respective bodysections, said seats being relatively spaced and concentrically disposedwith respect to the longitudinal axis XX of said valve.

Ball means 26, having a spherically-shaped external surface 26 and aslot 28 within said surface, is revolvably seated contiguously betweensaid respective seats, said ball means having a passage 30 therethrough.

Control rod 32, which extends through aperture 34 disposed through theside wall of said second body section and into the conduit portionthereof, includes a key 36 at one extremity thereof, said key beingremovably received within said slot. Accordingly, upon rotation of saidcontrol valve by manipulation of handle 38 thereof, said ball means canbe moved between the opened position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 and theclosed position shown in FIGURES and 6 of the drawings. Thus, as will beobserved, when said ball means occupies the opened position, fluid willbe allowed to flow through said conduit portion 12; While when in theclosed position, fluid flow through said conduit portion will beprecluded. Further, intermediate positions of said ball means can beutilized to control fluid flow over a relatively wide range.

Accordingly, by dint of the threadedly united twosection valveconstruction as described, said sections can be tightened against theball means as required, said first and second annular seats beingtightly securable with respect to said ball means to effectuate positiveseating thereof.

Also as shown, said first and second threaded passages 8 and 20 are ofdifferent diameter, the former passage being illust.ated as being largerthan the latter. Accordingly, in view of the ball means constructionherein afforded, the present drain valve can be installed whereby saidpassages can alternately serve as the inlet or outlet passage, theinstallation position being selected in accordance with thecorresponding size of the drain outlet 40. Inasmuch as such drainoutlets are commonly provided in one of two standard sizes, the drainvalve can readily be adapted directly to either of said sizes, FIG- URES3 and 4 being illustrative of such respective installations. Further,extension pipe means 42 as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 may be utilizedWhere the drain valve is to be advantageously positioned at lowerelevations with respect to the bottom wall 44 of the sink.

Of further import, the head portion 6 of the present drain valve is ofhexagonal configuration as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings,installation and removal of said valve with respect to the sink drainand assembly and disassembly of the valve itself being greatlyfacilitated by the wrench-gripping surface thereby provided.

In-view of the extended nature of the control rod 3 the latter being atleast twelve inches in length and preferably extending at least to thefront vertical wall 46 of the sink, a support sleeve 48 is providednormally and integrally of said second body section 4, said sleeve beingexternally threaded and having a passage 50 therethrough in axialalignment with aperture 34 of said second body section, said passage andaperture being of equal diameters and said control rod being rotatablyreceived within said sleeve passage. Connecting collar 52, disposedannularly about said control rod, includes an internally threadedportion'54 which is connected to said support sleeve to thereby retainsaid ball and control rod in connected relation. Thus, by dint of saidsleeve 52, control rod 32 is rigidly supported notwithstanding themomentarm created by the exceptional length thereof.

What is claimed is:v

1. A valve adapted for connection to the underside outlet of a sinkdrain, said valve comprising first and second body sections, said firstsection including a head portion having an internally threaded firstpassage and an externally threaded stem portion, said stern portionextending axially and integrally of said head portion, and terminatingin a free end, said second section having an at least partiallyinternally threaded conduit portion extending to one end thereof and aninternally threaded second passage at the other end thereof, a supportsleeve extending normally and integrally of said second body section,said sleeve being externally threaded and having a passage therethroughin axial alignment with an aperture in said second body section, saidpassage and aperture being of equal diameters, said stern and conduitportions being threadedly connected whereby said conduit portion extendslongitudinally through said valve in communication with said first andsecond passages, said passages being at respective ends of said valveand being of relatively different diameters, first and second annularseats provided integrally of said respective first and second bodysections, said seats being relatively spaced and concentrically disposedwith respect to the longitudinal axis of said valve, ball meansrevolvably seated contiguously between said respective seats, said ballmeans having a passage therethrough and being revolvable between anopened position allowing fluid to flow through said conduit portion anda closed position precluding said flow, control rod means, one endthereof extending through said aperture in said second body section andinto the conduit portion thereof said control rod means being rotatablyreceived within said sleeve passage, said control rod means beingremovably connected to said ball means ermits movement of said ballmeans between said opened and closed positions.

2. A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein the exterior of said headportion is of polygonal configuration.

3. A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first annular seat islocated at the free end of said stern portion, and said second annularseat is located at the juncture of said conduit portion and said secondpassage.

4. A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one end of said controlrod means comprises a key, said ball means having a spherically-shapedexternal surface and a slot within said surface, said key beingremovably receivable within said slot, and the other end of said controlrod means having a handle connected perpendicularly thereto.

5. A valve as set forth in claim 4 wherein said handle means extends atleast twelve inches from said second 7 body section.

6. A valve' as set forth in claim 1 including extension pipe meansthreadedly connected to said first passage.

7. A valve as set forth in claim 1 including extension pipe meansthreadedly connected to said second passage.

8. A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein the exterior of said headportion is of hexagonal configuration and wherein the diameter of saidfirst passage is larger than the diameter of said second passage.

9. A valve as set forth in claim 1 including a connecting collardisposed annularly about said control rod means, said collar having aninternally threaded portion and being threadedly connected to saidsupport sleeve to thereby retain said ball and control rod means inconnected relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OStroske 137-270 Waite 1373 15 XRPaul 137-27O XR Kaiser 137-315 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner 5 ROBERTJ. MILLER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

